Weather Service: EF1 tornado hit Durham Thursday

Weather Service: EF1 tornado hit Durham Thursday

RALEIGH, N.C. — The National Weather Service confirmed Friday that storm damage in Durham Thursday was caused by an EF1 tornado with 90 mph winds.

A small tornado hit Hope Valley Road area, according to WTVD, snapping trees and knocking out power.

Residents said they could hear powerful winds roaring through. Some said the winds sounded similar to a freight train.

Karyn Wilkerson said she wasn’t able to get into her home fast enough after she got a weather alert. She said she was outside standing in the street when debris started flying, and trees began snapping around her.

“I was terrified,” Wilkerson told WTVD. “I mean, I never lived through anything like that, never experienced anything that I was terrorized because I didn’t know what going on.”

Due to the high winds, some streets were blocked by fallen trees. Some areas also faced danger from the possibility of downed power lines.